Biking Beyond City Limits

[pepski]

Hello everybody, I just started road biking a couple of weeks ago (its starting to warm up here in canada). Biking around town or bike path can be fun but sometimes very frustrating because of traffic, stop lights, other bike path users etc. and really mess up my rythym. I've never ventured on a fast moving roadways such as 80kPH-single lane-very little shoulder-country roads (to scared). Need some advise or any biking techniques on narrow roads, how far out do you go and what do u bring. Anybody here been hit by a car or ran over a skunk? please share. Thanks in advance..

 

[C_heath]

Dont worry about the skunks. Take your Cell phone, a tube and all tools to change 2 flats and hammer away. The cars go by faster on the outside of the city but you will get use to it. Wear some light colored clothing.

Youll never ride in town again. I have a buddy in Manitoba and his driveway is 7 miles long so I know you have alot of long winding roads up there. I live in a small farm town and all I ride is out of town.

Some days, I will ride 25 miles and maybe come into contact with 10 cars both ways. Take the phone and enjoy, tell a friend what route you are about to take and how long it may take to complete (always add 45 minutes) and go for it.

Good luck

 

[artmichalek]

Skunks are nocturnal, so there's little risk of hitting a live one. Dead ones are a different story... I wouldn't be too concerned about cars unless the roads are particullarly busy. Stay visible and they'll give you some room. Getting hit from behind is pretty rare, so just keep your eyes forward and don't worry too much. Carry a cell phone, some cash, ID, and a pump/spare tube. The only other thing to keep in mind is that people out in the country often don't keep their dogs tied up. They're great for sprint workouts.

 

[dhk]

Some good advice so far. We ride on shoulder-less two lane country roads a lot here. Key is find the light-traffic roads, and avoid morning and evening rush hours. Don't know of anyone who's been hit from behind so far. Most of the crashes seem to be due to bike-on-bike, dogs, overcooking turns, gravel, or failing to watch the road. One club cyclist was taken down by a crazed housecat, another was hit broadside by a deer. Anything can happen.

For lane placement, suggest you ride in the right-hand tire track. That way, you'll avoid debris at the side, and have less chance of running off the road should you be distracted and wander to the right. A helmet mirror gives you a view of the traffic behind and passing without having to turn your head; I ride with one all the time now. With the mirror, I'll generally move over to the side of the road when being passed to gain more clearance.

Lots of people go on long country rides by themselves, but I think it's always safer to ride with a buddy or group if possible. I carry a cell phone in my seatpack, but we don't have coverage lots of places here.

 

[pepski]

I guess there's first time for everything. The thrill of the open road is what I think draws people to road riding (and of course to be like Lance.. lol). Its probably more dangerous to bike in the city because of the volume of traffic. I use my mtb to go to work everyday and maybe one near misses a week at least. I'm just wondering how many hear actually plan their route before they go out and who just go out there and let the wind decide their fate. thanks again for the response. I will definitely try it this weekend.

 

[Pendejo]

Not to discourage you, but the reality is that when you bike on a road with cars, you increase risk. The more traffic, the more risk. Some drivers are so old their reaction times are about 15 minutes; some are drunk or drug-impaired; some are changing the radio station while they talk on the cellphone and put on their makeup. So, as someone else posted above, you really need to find rural roads that don't see much traffic. Also, try not to bike into the rising or setting sun, since traffic coming up behind you will have their vision obscured by the direct light. Good luck.

 

[artmichalek]

I'm just wondering how many hear actually plan their route before they go out and who just go out there and let the wind decide their fate. thanks again for the response. I will definitely try it this weekend.

It depends on where you live and how long the ride is. Around here, anything over 30-40 miles has to be at least somewhat planned. Once you really get out of town the roads are pretty sparse, and a lot of them either dead end or run out of pavement in the mountains.

 

[frenchyge]

I'm just wondering how many hear actually plan their route before they go out and who just go out there and let the wind decide their fate. thanks again for the response. I will definitely try it this weekend.

I typically find that some amount of planning is needed because many of the roads either don't connect to anything at the other end, or run out of pavement after a while. Also, depending upon how long you ride, it's possible for the winds of fate to blow you so far out in the sticks that water refills are no longer available if needed, which can really get a rider in trouble as summer heats up. Now that I know which roads to avoid for traffic reasons, and which to avoid for pavement reasons, I have a reportoire of loops which can be combined based on desired mileage/terrain/available time/etc. So, I typically have some sort of plan, but then ad hoc decisions are made as the ride progresses to either add a loop, or cut one short as desired. Here, most of the riders know where the convenience stores are, and have identified ~20 mile routes connecting them which can be strung together as desired.

 

[pepski]

I've been leaving here in Ottawa, Ontario for about 10 years, and still discovering roads I've never seen before. I guess its a good idea to find these biker friendly locations by driving around first, and also to have some sort of idea where they lead to, that kind of stuff, but then again it kinda ruins the thrill of adventure. If your in training mode, it doesn't really matter where you bike as long as nobody's there to break your concentration, especially when your trying to beat your old record, what you guys think?

 

[dhk]

I've been leaving here in Ottawa, Ontario for about 10 years, and still discovering roads I've never seen before. I guess its a good idea to find these biker friendly locations by driving around first, and also to have some sort of idea where they lead to, that kind of stuff, but then again it kinda ruins the thrill of adventure. If your in training mode, it doesn't really matter where you bike as long as nobody's there to break your concentration, especially when your trying to beat your old record, what you guys think?

If you have a local bike club, they could be a good source of route info. Our club publishes a "Rides Atlas" with dozen of favorite routes around here.

Better yet, if possible, just go out on a weekend club ride. Going with a ride leader, maps and an few people who know the route is the easiest and safest way.

 

[pepski]

If you have a local bike club, they could be a good source of route info. Our club publishes a "Rides Atlas" with dozen of favorite routes around here.

Better yet, if possible, just go out on a weekend club ride. Going with a ride leader, maps and an few people who know the route is the easiest and safest way.

I've been pondering about that for a while, maybe I should shell out the 60 bucks I got saved in my piggy banK. I suppose its well worth it.

 

[frenchyge]

I've been pondering about that for a while, maybe I should shell out the 60 bucks I got saved in my piggy banK. I suppose its well worth it.

What's the $60 for, an atlas of local rides? That seems pretty darn expensive for a club publication.

 

[AmpedCycle]

I used to ride in the dark without a light on the sides of busy roads. But then again, I might have died doing it. Statistically, the odds are in your favor!

 

[pepski]

What's the $60 for, an atlas of local rides? That seems pretty darn expensive for a club publication.

Its actually the membership fee for a year, which includes sunday rides, riding clinics, that sort of stuff.

 

[Old Junker]

Its actually the membership fee for a year, which includes sunday rides, riding clinics, that sort of stuff.

most of the 60 is for insurance, or lack of it, you rellay should join a club and ottawa is a good one

 

[dannomyte]

For lane placement, suggest you ride in the right-hand tire track. That way, you'll avoid debris at the side, and have less chance of running off the road should you be distracted and wander to the right. A helmet mirror gives you a view of the traffic behind and passing without having to turn your head; I ride with one all the time now. With the mirror, I'll generally move over to the side of the road when being passed to gain more clearance.

You hit the nail on the head with the helmet mirror. I have no choice but to ride on the Manitoba open highways. I've been using one (mirror) for a couple of years now and it really does help you keep and eye out for what is happening behind you without having to turn your head and taking your eyes off the road ahead of you. I constantly monitor oncoming vehicles to make sure they have spotted me and are moving over to pass.

It's all about being seen. I'm convinced that since I added a rear blinky to my bike that I've eliminated a lot of issues with motorists. I believe a lot of the road rage comes from motorists being surprised by cyclists at the last minute. The blinky helps alert drivers to your presence earlier on and gives them more time to react. This is only my observation and not anything scientific, but obviously you will reduce your risk of being in an accident if drivers know you are there.

Be seen, monitor trafic around you, be careful, and you'll be fine.

 

[pepski]

You hit the nail on the head with the helmet mirror. I have no choice but to ride on the Manitoba open highways. I've been using one (mirror) for a couple of years now and it really does help you keep and eye out for what is happening behind you without having to turn your head and taking your eyes off the road ahead of you. I constantly monitor oncoming vehicles to make sure they have spotted me and are moving over to pass.

It's all about being seen. I'm convinced that since I added a rear blinky to my bike that I've eliminated a lot of issues with motorists. I believe a lot of the road rage comes from motorists being surprised by cyclists at the last minute. The blinky helps alert drivers to your presence earlier on and gives them more time to react. This is only my observation and not anything scientific, but obviously you will reduce your risk of being in an accident if drivers know you are there.

Be seen, monitor trafic around you, be careful, and you'll be fine.

I got the helmet, the mirror, the bell, the lights, the whole shebang, I bike to work everyday, most of the time, motorists are courteous to cyclist, but like everything in life, there is always a jerk. I am used to this kind of stuff, what I'm not familiar with are drivers beheviour towards cyclists once they live town, which has almost no speed limit. I myself drives a little faster on rural roads, and who doesn't?

 

[dannomyte]

I got the helmet, the mirror, the bell, the lights, the whole shebang, I bike to work everyday, most of the time, motorists are courteous to cyclist, but like everything in life, there is always a jerk. I am used to this kind of stuff, what I'm not familiar with are drivers beheviour towards cyclists once they live town, which has almost no speed limit. I myself drives a little faster on rural roads, and who doesn't?

And who are the jerks is really quite a random thing. Although, over my years, I would have to say there are a few small groups emerging from the pack.

1. High school kids who just got their license and are driving around with their buddies and feeling very brave. They are usually harmless, just abussive verbally.

2. Old people. Not sure why this is, maybe mad at the world for some reason, and then turn their vehicle into a weapon and decide to scare the bejeezees out of a cyclist. Or maybe they just can't see!

3. Some truckers. Most are really good, but it's the odd one that spoils it for the gang. Unfortunately, I would just never assume anything around a vehicle this size, because you will never win obviously.

4. Anyone else who is having a bad day and happens to come up to a cyclist who is going to put yet another hurdle in what has been a less than perfect day in their less than perfect little world.

I'm not trying to paint anyone with a brush, but I'm analytical and I look for patterns in life. How people act when they leave the city probably doesn't change as much as how they react depending on who is with them in the car. At the end of the day it doesn't matter who is behind the wheel of the vehicle. Just be prepared to react to any situation.

 

[dhk]

Re the mirror discussion, we had a near tragedy on yesterdays club ride when a cyclist failed to look behind before making a turn. She is new to the club, and was riding next to me in front of about 8 others on a rural 2 lane highway. We were about 10 minutes out of the last rest stop, with everyone fueled up and talking.

Anyway, I failed to spot our left turn in advance. A rider in back yelled "left turn, turn here". I could read the sign then, but just rolled past to stop on the side of the road, as we were just passing the intersection and going at a fair clip. To my surprise, the women next to me responded to the yell by hitting the brakes hard and then hooking the left turn, not realizing two cars were passing the group at the time, likely doing 55-60 mph. As soon as she turned, I heard the screach of tires from the cars. Fortunately, she cleared the lane a few tenths of a second before the long skid marks reached her. A couple of riders in the pack tangled and went down in the panic. They were shaken by the close call, but no one was seriously hurt.

Three points about safe riding habits from this episode. First, when in the lead (as I was) always stay alert for the next turn. Had I spotted the sign first, would have called it out, slowed, and looked back in my mirror for traffic to see if the group could complete the left turn safely.

Second, always look front and behind before turning left on a two lane road. With the 15 mph headwind we had, it was impossible to hear the cars coming up to pass at 60 mph. Believe a mirror really helps to make this a habit. But, if you don't use a mirror (she didn't), practice turning your head to get a good look while riding in a straight line.

Third point: never brake hard or unexpectedly with riders in back of you. Always use a hand signal, or call out slowing or stopping before taking action. It's easy to stop when past the turn and check for traffic before heading back onto the next road.

Sorry to lecture, but this near-miss on a beautiful Saturday afternoon reminded me how important it is to follow the basic rules of the road at all times. Also reminded me that little things like average speed and who's ahead or behind don't mean much; having all of your friends finish the ride safely is all that really matters.

 

[pepski]

Re the mirror discussion, we had a near tragedy on yesterdays club ride when a cyclist failed to look behind before making a turn. She is new to the club, and was riding next to me in front of about 8 others on a rural 2 lane highway. We were about 10 minutes out of the last rest stop, with everyone fueled up and talking.

Anyway, I failed to spot our left turn in advance. A rider in back yelled "left turn, turn here". I could read the sign then, but just rolled past to stop on the side of the road, as we were just passing the intersection and going at a fair clip. To my surprise, the women next to me responded to the yell by hitting the brakes hard and then hooking the left turn, not realizing two cars were passing the group at the time, likely doing 55-60 mph. As soon as she turned, I heard the screach of tires from the cars. Fortunately, she cleared the lane a few tenths of a second before the long skid marks reached her. A couple of riders in the pack tangled and went down in the panic. They were shaken by the close call, but no one was seriously hurt.

Three points about safe riding habits from this episode. First, when in the lead (as I was) always stay alert for the next turn. Had I spotted the sign first, would have called it out, slowed, and looked back in my mirror for traffic to see if the group could complete the left turn safely.

Second, always look front and behind before turning left on a two lane road. With the 15 mph headwind we had, it was impossible to hear the cars coming up to pass at 60 mph. Believe a mirror really helps to make this a habit. But, if you don't use a mirror (she didn't), practice turning your head to get a good look while riding in a straight line.

Third point: never brake hard or unexpectedly with riders in back of you. Always use a hand signal, or call out slowing or stopping before taking action. It's easy to stop when past the turn and check for traffic before heading back onto the next road.

Sorry to lecture, but this near-miss on a beautiful Saturday afternoon reminded me how important it is to follow the basic rules of the road at all times. Also reminded me that little things like average speed and who's ahead or behind don't mean much; having all of your friends finish the ride safely is all that really matters.

Its not entirely yours or her fault or any of you in the group. Anyone who has a drivers liscence should know how to slow down whenever there is a turn or an intersection approaching, specially when theres cyclist/s nearby. Ironically
most motorist are more concerned about a herd of cows than a group of cyclist. The driver is probably trying to beat you guys to the turn.